Introduce Yourself

[Jessica]

Reply to this message to introduce yourself to the group.

Let us know if you've read Stoker's classic before, and what you think of the book (no spoilers, please). And if it's your first time reading Dracula, share your first impressions!

[Krista]

Hi I'm Krista and this is the first time reading Dracula. This story is so much different than what I thought Dracula was. To me Dracula seems to be more human. I haven't finished reading it yet but am very satisfied with the story. I find the descriptions very intense and you get a real sense of the "atmosphere"

[boleynfan]

My name is Connie and I live in Lomita, CA. I am catching up on classics and thought this would be a great read for the season.

[flyjo9]

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Jessica wrote:
Reply to this message to introduce yourself to the group.

Let us know if you've read Stoker's classic before, and what you think of the book (no spoilers, please). And if it's your first time reading Dracula, share your first impressions!

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You know, I'm not sure I ever read Dracula , but I've seen more than one Dracula movie from childhood on. I am happy to read or re-read the story. Joan

[paulgoatallen]

Hello all! I'm Paul, your humble moderator. I'm a huge horror fan – and have been ever since I've been in grade school – and it's been literally decades since I've read Dracula. Re-reading this classic has really been quite enlightening – after watching so many vampire movies and reading so many vampire novels, I think most people really have no idea how different Stoker's novel is from the vampire mythos that Hollywood and the publishing industry has done such a great job promoting!

I highly recommend to any and all dark fantasy and horror fans out there to pick up a copy of Stoker's Dracula and either re-read it or read it for the first time if you've never read it before. You know how when an image gets copied over and over and over again, it slowly loses its clarity? Well, Stoker's Dracula is the original and it doesn't get better than this.
Paul

[NickinColoma]

Hey all,

My name is Nick, and I love Horror and Sci/Fi literature and movies. "Dracula" is the only book in my massive collection that is worn out from over-reading. My first impression of reading "Dracula" is that it is the premiere novel of the whole vampire genre.

[MacNCheese]

Im Amanda. Ive never read Dracula before. So far it seems an easy read and very engaging

[LindaKay]

Hi I'm LindaKay. I am ashamed to admit I never read Dracula before and I'm quite a fan of vampire stories. I like how the terror is slowly building. This book gave me dreams last night and it reminded me of when I first read Salem's Lot (late at night in bed). I actually got up and put my crucifix on!

[paulgoatallen]

LindaKay:
I know what you mean about 'Salem's Lot – man, that book scared the crap out of me! I recently posted my top ten vampire novels on a different thread but I thought I'd share it again because 'Salem's Lot was one of my all-time favorities! My you like the King novel, definitely check out Matheson's I Am Legend – it's truly a horror masterpiece.
Paul


TOP TEN VAMPIRE NOVELS
1. Bram Stoker’s Dracula – the granddaddy of them all
2. Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend
3. ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
4. Lucius Shepard’s The Golden
5. Blood Games by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
6. Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire
7. The Children of the Night by Dan Simmons
8. Charlie Huston’s Already Dead
9. The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo
10. Fat White Vampire Blues and Bride of the Fat White Vampire by Andrew Fox

[1SickKid]

Hi! I first read the origional Dracula when I was 15!! I'm now 48. No one asked me to reads it. My father was an English teacher - had a ton of books and I just grabbed it off a shelf. It's not only a story about Vampires - but also a story about loyalty, family and courage. It's So Good!

[LindaKay]

Paul you mention I Am Legend, which I thoroughly enjoyed, although I wanted it to be longer. Did you ever watch The Omega Man? In the 70's (yes, I'm old) I thought it was great but it just didn't do justice to such a sinister story. I'm almost afraid of the upcoming version for just that reason. Movies rarely do books justice.
Linda

[Peppermill]

Paul -- look forward to your moderator role for this board. Your enthusiasm shows!

I read Dracula a year ago in October as a Halloween month read -- something a group of us sometimes do. I think that was my first read of the "real thing." I was fascinated by the structure of the novel. Stoker definitely provides memorable images -- and the deeper levels probably can be probed forever. I also found the structure, with interlocking journals and letters intriguing.

Between the new format and my immersion in ILIAD, I don't know that I shall post very often here, but do hope to check in and enjoy everyone's musings from time to time.

[PatienceP]

I am Patience.
This was my first time reading Dracula, though I have heard about it before. It was interesting, not quite like I expected, but well-written and enjoyable.

[genac]

Hello,

My name is Gena and I first read Dracula in 3rd grade. Yes, I was that nerdy kid who went to the Reading is Fundamental Fair (where they gave us poor kids a free book) and picked out the largest one available (on the basis that it would take me the longest to read.) I love Dracula. The last time I read it was in an English course over 5 years ago.

[LordRuthven]

I wandered over from the Urban Fantasy group, but I wanted to post here because I am more of a "vampire horror" kind of guy.

[dhaupt]

I'm Debbie from a small town in Missouri near St. Louis
An avid reader of many genre's
and glad to discuss one of my favorite books and subjects

[Cagekicker]

Hullo, my name is Paul

("Hi, Paul")
Read Dracula a couple years ago, and was amazed at the "horror" in the grandfather of horror novels. I had to keep reminding myself that it was written in the late 1800's (it was written in the late 1800's, right? Or have I just embarrassed myself?). I'm a big reader of fantasy/sci fi, and the new "urban fantasy" genre (thank you, Jim Butcher), but I gotta say that if you really want to appreciate what's being written now, take a look at what was written way back then.

[Curt42]

I have been reading this discussion all week and figured it was time to sign on. My name is Curt and I am from the Seattle. All my other posting have been done on the mystery book discussion group site.

I have two fond remembrances of Dracul. When I lived in Omaha, a friend of mine directed the play by Bram Stoker. All I hear about for three months was Dracula. The production was excellent.

After the run of the play, I decided to read the book. I started reading it one Sunday afternoon. About a 100 pages in I fell asleep. By the time I woke up it had gotten dark. There was a street light outside my window and it cast shadows of tree limbs on the opposite wall. This whole thing scared the heck out of me. It was 20 years before I was able to finish the book.

[paulgoatallen]

Linda:
I loved The Omega Man – Chuck Heston rules! I actually saw the movie and was then inspired to read the book I Am Legend, which, of course, was much better. Heston was in some of the best sf movies ever made – The Omega Man, Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green, which was based on another sf classic, Harry Harrison's Make Room! Make Room!
Paul

[paulgoatallen]

Pepper:
Thanks for stopping by and, yes, I agree with you completely about the way Dracula was structured. I thought that the narrative format – in letters, diary and journal entries, etc. – gave it a realism and authenticity that I just loved.

Good luck with The Iliad, I tackled that one a few years back. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, check out Dan Simmons' Ilium/Olympos duology, a grand-scale science fiction recreation of sorts of the Homer epic. The two books are what I can "shelf-benders" but – wow! – what a great saga.
Paul